AkzoNobel-Evonik JV Begins Operations at New Chlor-Alkali Facility in Germany

Neolyse Ibbenbüren GmbH, a joint venture of AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals and Evonik Industries, has begun operation of a new membrane technology based chlor-alkali plant at AkzoNobel’s site in Ibbenbüren (Germany).

The plant, operated by AkzoNobel, has a capacity of 120,000-tpa of Potassium hydroxide solution and 75,000-tpa of chlorine and Hydrogen. AkzoNobel will commercialise chlorine and hydrogen, while Evonik will distribute the locally produced potassium hydroxide solution and process parts of it into other products such as potassium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate and potassium formate at its Lülsdorf (Germany) site.

“The Ibbenbüren facility sets a completely new standard for the chlor-alkali industry,” said Mr. Werner Fuhrmann, Chairman of the AkzoNobel Speciality Chemicals Executive Board, during the official opening ceremony of the new facility.

“We demonstrated throughout the course of the project that two experienced partners can contribute their diverse experience to intelligently shape their business environment. We complement each other very well and look forward to continuing our collaboration, which benefits our customers and therefore ultimately also the market for potassium hydroxide,” noted Dr. Harald Schwager, Deputy Chairman of the Evonik Executive Board.

AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals is the market leader for industrial salt, chlorine and chloromethanes in Europe. Evonik is the European market leader for potassium hydroxide solution and potassium derivatives as well as a leading global provider of alcoholates with a production site in Lülsdorf (Germany).